Rise above

Rise Above

By: Karen Banks, M.Ed., PLPC

Owner/Therapist - Trinity Wellness, LLC

@TrinityWellSTL

Image from quotesvalley.com

This is an excerpt from an article I originally published in SpokenVizions Youth magazine.  For the full article, please subscribe!

Throughout our daily lives, we are often surrounded by media, especially music.  What influence does music have on you?  Does it inspire, either positively or otherwise, you to create beautiful poetry?  If a vast majority of popular music is misogynistic, hateful, celebrating drug use and careless sex, and encouraging killing each other, what influence does that have on your psyche and thus your creativity?

Think about these few words, subscribe and read the entire article, then write a comment and let's chat about your thoughts. I would love to hear from you!  If for some reason you cannot access the article, after an extended period of time, I will return to post the article in its entirety.

Karen

Inspiring creativity

Inspiring Your Creativity

By: Karen Banks, M.Ed., PLPC

Image credit: http://www.everythingetsy.com/2013/08/creative-workspace-inspiration-2/

This is an excerpt from an article I originally published in SpokenVizions Magazine.  For the full article, please subscribe!

Many an article has been written about ways to help with writer's block.  My goal here is to give you some concise information that will help you find your creativity at any time.  As a born procrastinator, I am often looking for ways to help me start writing and these tips help me weekly!

Physical space as an inspiration

Clutter

There are two camps in the clutter debate.  One says that clutter can be an unhealthy distraction.  If your desk looks like a bomb exploded, invest time to clean and organize so writing instruments and notebooks are within reach.  The opposing side (as stated in an article published by the American Psychological Association in fact) has a few studies to the contrary: "working in a messy room seems to help them try new things and come up with creative ideas". 

Mental considerations

Sounds

Like color, music and sound play an important role in our mood and creativity.  Don't judge me, but my current favorite hype song is Turn Down for What.  When under pressure or feeling stuck, blasting rap music can be a great motivator to get down to business.   On the opposite end of the spectrum, a bit of smooth jazz or gospel can take you to a completely different, more peaceful place.  Keep Pandora or an iPod within reach to be able to adjust your tunes as necessary.  If sound or music is a distraction while you are being creative, noise cancelling headphones or white noise such as a ceiling fan, might be your recipe for success.

Other considerations

~ When you find yourself experiencing a creative block, stop working!  Take some time to do some quick exercises or an invigorating yoga sequence.  If you're anything like me, a nap will recharge your brain and possibly prepare you to get back to being creative.

I would love to hear from you if you found these tips helpful.  Tweet me @TrinityWellSTL or if you are feeling brave, post a picture of your workspace on Instagram #creativityhappenshere and tag me @Karen79ig and @spokenvizions.

Let's talk about sex!

This is an excerpt from an article I originally published in SpokenVizions Magazine.  For the full article, please subscribe!

Let's Talk About Sex!

By: Karen Banks, M.Ed., PLPC, Owner of Trinity Wellness, LLC

When I work with my adult clients, the topic of sex usually comes up after a few awkward attempts to approach the subject.  It is unfortunate that sex is sometimes a taboo topic because there are a variety of health benefits to getting your freak on.  Read on for 7 easy tips...then go and practice!

#1 - Sex makes you sleepy; sleep is essential for good health; therefore sex is essential for good health!

Sexual activity releases several chemicals, oxytocin and prolactin, which can help you get to sleep more quickly after a romp in the sheets.

#2 - The more sex you have, the more you'll want!

Having sex increases your libido so do it again, and again, and again, and...you get my point.

#3 - Sharing intimate time with your partner can improve your relationship and communication.

Don't forget to subscribe to read the full article.  Even better, call me or email me for a counseling session if SEX is what is troubling you.

Take care Readers,

Karen

Life Coach v. Counselor and more

A recent Facebook post as well as questions from several clients recently prompted this blog post.  It has been a long time since I posted…although I have about 20 drafts saved.  I have been doing more than procrastinating; I’ve been busy writing articles for Delux Magazine (article 1 & article 2) and Spoken Vizions Magazine! Check them out when you have a moment.

Anyway…on to the topic. The short version of what could become a long rant about the differences between what a Life Coach does and what Counselors, Social Workers, Psychologists, etc. do is this:

Professionals Counselors offer services that are a better fit for the vast majority of people.

Life coaches are not qualified to address issues of one’s past or any ongoing mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, or working through issues such as trauma, divorce, social concerns, personal issues, or grief.  I believe most people are affected, in some way, by issues that require more skill than a Life Coach can provide.

Here is my brief summary of what each of these professionals generally do, which is based on education, experience, and the 2008 article posted in Counseling Today:

Life Coaches work with clients to set and reach their goals related to life and/or work.  They offer support and hold clients accountable.

Social Workers (though some have clinical training) are generally trained to connect people to services and address human services issues on personal and community levels.

Psychologists work with individuals who struggle with mental health concerns.  They are trained to test and diagnose patients.

Psychiatrists are physicians who work from a medical model.  They most often prescribe medications for clients suffering from depression and severe disorders such as schizophrenia.

Counselors view clients as “stuck” versus “sick”.  We help people find healing from issues in their past and to achieve their goals for living a healthy life.  We sometimes help connect people to services as well as offer career, marriage, and family counseling.

A great quote from the article sums it up: “Therapy is about uncovering and recovering, while coaching is about discovering.”  In my practice, I do both.  I want clients to come to my office and we work through their concerns and address what is keeping them from living up to their potential.  In addition, my clients leave with a plan.  I want them to be empowered to make the necessary changes they desire in their life.  Each week, we work on what is holding you back, and how we can reach your goals.  I want clients to be mentally (& socially), physically, and spiritually balanced and we work in all these areas.

I hope this “short version” helps clarify what each of these valuable professionals do.  Let me know your thoughts!

Bonus material beautifully summarized courtesy of Wikipedia: 

*****************************This is waaaaaay more info than most people need but…mental health professionals work from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).  The DSM-IV organizes each psychiatric diagnosis into five dimensions (axes) relating to different aspects of disorder or disability:

Axis I: All diagnostic categories except mental retardation and personality disorder. Examples: depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and schizophrenia. Counselors, Clinical Social Workers, Psychologists, and Psychiatrists address these issues.

Axis II: Personality disorders and mental retardation. Examples: paranoid, schizoid, borderline, antisocial, narcissistic, histrionic, avoidant, dependent, obsessive-compulsive personality disorders; and intellectual disabilities. Psychologists and Psychiatrists primarily address these issues however many Counselors and CLINICAL Social Workers are also trained to work with clients with some axis II diagnoses.

Axis III: General medical condition; acute medical conditions and physical disorders. Physicians address these issues.

Axis IV: Psychosocial and environmental factors contributing to the disorder. Counselors and Social Workers address these issues. (You would be paying a fortune to talk to a Psychiatrist about these issues!)

Axis V: Global Assessment of Functioning or Children's Global Assessment Scale for children and teens under the age of 18.*****************************